Charles t



C. F. DILKS.

NEEDLE FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1918.

l 3 1 7, 6 7 1 Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

s'rn'rns rare caries.

OHARLES F. DILKS, OF BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF '10 ISIDORE W. GOLDBERG, OF BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY.

NEEDLE FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented sept. 30, 1919..

Application filed November 30, 1918. Serial No. 264,799.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES'F. D1LKs, a citizen of the United States, residing in Bridgeton, Cumberland county, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements 1n Needles for Talking-Machines, of which the following is a speclfication.

My invention relates to needles or styli for sound-reproducing machines; and the object of-my invention is to provide a scratchless metal needle. Various attempts have been made to produce needles of this character, but without success so far as any practical marketable article is concerned. In my improved construction, however, I have roduced a needle which, when employe with disk records, produces a soft, mellow sound; avoiding the scratchy sound common with needles heretofore em loyed with records of this character. y improved needle comprises a stem, a oint or pointed end, with a springy or flexi le connection between .said parts, and a supplemental spring strip or finger.

These and other features of my invention are more fully described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a sound reproducer of any usual construction showing one form of needle embodying my invention employed therewith.

Fig. 2, is a erspective view, on a lar er scale, of the orm of my improved nee e shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the point end of the needle shown in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating one manner of attaching the springy or flexible members thereto, and

, Figs. 4 and 5, are views similar to Fig. 3,

illustrating modified constructions within the scope of my invention. My improved needle, made of metal, may

comprise a stem portion 1 adapted for in-' sertion in the usual socket 2 of the repro ducer, in which it may be retained by an ordinary set screw 3 in the usual manner.

This needle is provided with a point peor tion 4, which may comprise a body 4 and a point proper, indicated at 4, which may be and preferably is of the permanent type, and these :two parts 1 and 4 are connected together by a flexible strip or section 5 of spring metal'of hi h tension and of relatively thin gage. TVhile the flexible section 5 may be connected tov the stem land the point portion 4 in any suitable manner,

I have shown these parts slotted or notched, at 1 and 4, respectively, to receive the ends of the same. a It is obvious that other means of mounting said spring section 5 with respect to thestem 1 and point portion 4 may the upper end of this supplemental spring 6 lies in engagement with the socket 2 when the needle 1s employed with the reproducer and 1n engagement with a record, as clearly indicated 1n Fig. 1.

The needle is truly flexible, and does not partake of the vibrations of the socket due to usual; causes, since such vibrationsare immediately taken up by the main spring section 5 and the supplemental spring strip or finger 6, with the result that a softer tone is reproduced without the scratchiness common in the employment of metal needles with the disk records of talking machines.

In the structure shown in Figs..1, 2 and 3,-both' spring members 5 and 6, are illustrated as being secured in the slot or notch 4 of the point portion 4. In lieu of this, the supplemental spring member 6 may be integral with the spring member5 as indicated in Fig. 4,.0r it may be connected to the spring member 5 by a rivet 7 or other fastening means, as indicated in Fig. 5.

- in their broader aspect, are to be so construed. In all instances the point which engages the groove of the record is preferably of the permanent type.

While I have shown the stem portion 1 as round, it is obvious that it may be of any suitable shape, and also that it may be of a.

special shape to be received within a socket of special shape so that when inserted in said socket the flexible or spring connec tion 5 and the supplemental spring 6 will be disposed in the proper position with respeet to the record cn aged by the needle point; such position helng illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim:

1. A needle for talking machines, comprising a spring stem and. a groove-engaging oint, and a su plemental sprin car ried y said needle or engagement wlth its support.

2. A needle for talking machines, comprising a stem of flat spring metal, a grooveengagmg point, and a supplemental spring carried by said needle for engagement with its support.

3. The combination, in a needle or stylus 15 for sound-reproducing machines, 0 a socket-receiving stem, a point, a section of spring metal connecting said members, and a supplemental spring disposed at the side of sald stem section and connected at one 20 end only to the needle, said su plemental spring contaetin with the nee e support when the needle 1s in use.

CHARLES F. DILKS. 

